A Beauty Day Out in Katong and Joo Chiat
Katong and Joo Chiat are two of Singapore’s most characterful neighbourhoods, and they happen to be home to one of the best concentrations of independent beauty spots in the east. Peranakan shophouses, heritage tiles, laksa, and a genuinely unhurried pace make this area a pleasure to spend a full day in, especially when you are combining a few beauty appointments with good food and good streets.
This is not a listicle. It is a proper guide to building a beauty day out in Katong and Joo Chiat, from your first appointment to your last, with the best spots to know for each treatment category.
Why Katong and Joo Chiat Work for a Beauty Day
The neighbourhood sits along East Coast Road and Joo Chiat Road, two of Singapore’s most walkable strips. Within a few hundred metres you can move between a Japanese hair salon, a Korean medspa, a nail studio tucked above a kopitiam, and a lash specialist in a Peranakan shophouse. The appointments are compact enough to string together in a single day without spending half of it in transit.
The area also tends to attract independent operators rather than chains, which means more specialised services, more personal consultation, and a general absence of hard-sell package pressure. That matters a great deal when you are trying to actually relax.
Morning: Start with Hair
COVO Hair Salon
COVO at East Coast Road is a Japanese hair salon in the truest sense: the stylists average over ten years of experience, the consultation is thorough, and the service does not end until the last detail is exactly right. The name comes from the Italian word for “hiding place,” and the interior lives up to it. Calm, private, considered.
COVO is best known for cuts, colour, and Japanese hair treatments. They use high-quality Japanese haircare products throughout, and the scalp treatment and massage built into the wash station is genuinely restorative. Book for the morning when the salon is quieter and you can take your time.
Location: 87 East Coast Road, Singapore 428789 Price range: Cut from $60, colour from $150, Japanese hair treatment from $80 Opening hours: Weekdays 10am to 8pm, weekends 10am to 7pm Website: covosg.com
Musubi Boutique Hair Salon
For a more boutique Japanese experience with a warmer, more personal atmosphere, Musubi on Tanjong Katong Road is one of the most consistently loved hair salons in the east. Founded by a Japanese stylist who came to Singapore in 2013, Musubi describes itself as a bridge between Japan and Singapore, and the philosophy shows in how the team works: patient, meticulous, and genuinely invested in the outcome for each client.
Stylist Takuya in particular has developed a loyal following for cuts and colour. If you are after curtain bangs or a colour that sits softly rather than landing loud, this is a strong first choice.
Location: 275 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore 437058 Price range: Cut from $65, colour from $120 Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm Contact: +65 6702 7004 Website: musubisg.com
Mid-Morning: Nails
Maison Glam (Formerly Nails & Coffee)
Maison Glam on Koon Seng Road is one of the most talked-about nail studios in Joo Chiat, tucked into a residential shophouse street lined with some of Singapore’s most photogenic Peranakan terrace houses. The studio has over 190 reviews and consistently earns praise for its nail art execution, its range of colours, and its no-pressure approach.
The Koon Seng Road location also makes it one of the more atmospheric appointments on this list. Walking there from East Coast Road takes you through the heart of old Joo Chiat, which is worth the fifteen minutes on its own.
Location: 96 Koon Seng Road, Singapore 427035 Price range: Gel manicure from $35, nail art from $50 Best for: Nail art, relaxed atmosphere, no hard sell
Nail County Katong
For a solid, no-frills gel set with walk-in availability, Nail County at Joo Chiat Road is a reliable choice. They offer manicures, pedicures, gel nails, fish pedicures, and nail art. It is not the most Instagram-friendly studio on the list but the work is consistent and the pricing is honest.
Location: 451 Joo Chiat Road, #02-07, Singapore 427664 Contact: +65 6904 2855 Price range: Gel manicure from $28
Lunch Break
This is where Katong and Joo Chiat earn their reputation beyond beauty. A few options worth walking to between appointments:
328 Katong Laksa on East Coast Road for the definitive version of a Singapore classic. Chin Mee Chin Confectionery on East Coast Road for old-school kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs in a 1920s coffee shop setting. Birds of Paradise at i12 Katong for botanical ice cream if the weather calls for it. The area rewards walking and exploring, so budget an extra thirty minutes to wander.
Afternoon: Facial or Medspa
Midori Med Spa
Midori Med Spa on Joo Chiat Road is one of the highest-rated beauty destinations in the east and has attracted clients from as far as the United States who return across multiple Singapore trips. The team is described consistently as knowledgeable, genuine, and importantly, not there to upsell.
Midori specialises in medspa-grade facials including carboxy facials, microbotox, and skin brightening treatments. Reviewers mention walking out with skin that is noticeably smoother and more luminous, and the relaxed pace of the appointment makes it feel like genuine pampering rather than a clinical procedure.
Location: 140 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427421 Price range: Facial treatments from $90 Best for: Medspa-grade facials, sensitive or reactive skin, those who dislike hard selling
Soul Beauté
For a broader multi-service experience covering facials, lash extensions, and hair removal, Soul Beauté on Joo Chiat Road is a strong afternoon option. The studio is smaller and more intimate than a dedicated clinic, with a 5.0 rating on Fresha and consistent reviews praising the lash work in particular.
If you are combining a facial and lashes in the same visit, Soul Beauté is one of the few spots in Joo Chiat where both are done at a quality level worth your time.
Location: 96 Joo Chiat Road, #02-01, Singapore 427390 Price range: Facial from $80, lash extensions from $88 Best for: Multi-service visits, lash extensions, first-timers.
Late Afternoon: Lashes
The Lash Company at Katong
The Lash Company on East Coast Road is a dedicated lash studio with a calm, well-reviewed setup. If lash extensions are your focus for the day and you want to give them the full afternoon, this is where to book. The team is experienced across classic, hybrid, and volume sets, and the studio’s positioning in the Katong stretch means you can walk straight from lunch or a nail appointment.
Location: 101 East Coast Road, #02-00, Singapore 428796 Contact: +65 9113 7675 Price range: Classic set from $88, volume set from $120 Best for: Lash extensions, dedicated lash appointments
If you are still deciding between a lash lift and extensions, this honest comparison covers the full difference in cost, upkeep, and which one suits different lifestyles.
Evening: Wind Down
The Katong and Joo Chiat strip has enough in the way of independent cafes, restaurants, and dessert spots to make an evening of it after your appointments. Smokey’s BBQ for something substantial, Creamier at i12 Katong for handcrafted ice cream, or simply a walk along the East Coast Park connector as the temperature drops.
If you are in the area for a head spa rather than or in addition to a facial, the East Coast and Katong neighbourhood has a growing number of scalp treatment options. This guide to the best head spas in Singapore covers the islandwide picture for those planning a longer trip.
Building Your Day: A Sample Itinerary
| Time | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 10am | Hair cut or colour | COVO or Musubi |
| 12:30pm | Lunch | 328 Katong Laksa or Chin Mee Chin |
| 2pm | Nails | Maison Glam or Nail County |
| 3:30pm | Facial or medspa | Midori Med Spa or Soul Beauté |
| 5:30pm | Lashes | The Lash Company |
| 7pm | Dinner or dessert | East Coast Road strip |
Not every appointment needs to be on the same day. Many regulars in the east treat Katong and Joo Chiat as their go-to beauty quarter and rotate through these spots across the month. The density of quality independent salons in a walkable area is what makes it work.
Find and book all the salons in this guide on Glamingo. Browse by treatment, area, and price range to compare options across Katong and Joo Chiat and book directly, without the back-and-forth.
